I finally read Romeo and Juliet entirely. My impression: huge comedy until it turns into a tragedy. "Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes." Yes, I thought Romeo was a big joke and very fickle. He just cannot love anyone other than Rosaline....Wait,....I think he just saw Juliet....Yep, he now he's madly in love with Juliet....Who's Rosaline? Fickle and dumb.
Anyways, I have some books by Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Charles Dickens, and Jane Austen. I am currently working on Hamlet and will soon move to Twelfth Night.
I saw a copy of Gone with the Wind in my new apartment and decided it was high time I watched it. I mean, if it was so great to merit so many awards, then it must be wonderful. I sat down for the long haul and watched it all.
I thought it was terrible. I had to finish it just to say that I had seen it all. But I disliked almost the entire thing. Who was this girl? I hated her from the minute she said yes to marriage with Charles Hamilton. She only said yes to spite the man she was crushing after, Ashley Wilkes. (Yes, honey, marrying someone else and getting yourself off the market is sure to solve everything.) Then Mr. Hamilton dies, and I am happy because it saved him from a terrible marriage. But now Scarlett O'Hara is in mourning and running around with Ashley's wife trying to sabotage her marriage. Can't she just let it alone and move on? I hate women that try to sabotage marriages or relationships. But Ashley is not all that innocent either. He leads her along and kisses her at least twice in the movie. I could never decide if I liked or disliked Melanie, Ashley's wife. Either she is way too trusting or just blind as a bat.
The story moves on. The handsome Rhett Butler (who was pretty attractive and I thought George Clooney and Clark Gable look similar to each other) continually helps Scarlett and tries to get her to love him. I thought their story had a feel related to Pride and Prejudice. Both couples are very proud and stubborn and the girl absolutely refuses to love the man, while he loves her and tries to win her hand, although very ineffectively at times. Anyways, the similarities end there. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett actually get over themselves and fall in love. Rhett and Scarlett never love each other at the same time and can't get over their pride, stubbornness, and love of wealth and affluence.
Before Rhett and Scarlett marry, Scarlett marries her sister's beau for $300 to save her land in Tara. Shame. See?! She is a little conniving and thieving woman. Her poor sister is devastated. Her husband is miserable because she isn't really in love with him. And then he dies defending her honor. Poor guy. He seemed alright.
Scarlett entered the business world through the second husband. She was like Scrooge and worked her employees way too hard. Way too focused on the money to be made than looking at the destitution and hardships she was putting her employees through. I don't care who they are, you should treat people well. Scarlett treated her inferiors poorly. Meanwhile, Ashley's wife treated everyone with kindness. She talked to the prostitute and appreciated her help when others refused to acknowledge her.
Then Rhett and Scarlett got married. Why? I still don't really understand why. Money? Rhett was trying to win Scarlett's heart. But she is too selfish. She refused to have anymore children because she was pining after Ashley. Who was still married and had a child. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Poor Rhett. He wasn't perfect, but he did love her. Then Bonnie died and life ended for them. Rhett couldn't get over the loss of his princess. They kind of joined together in the common cause of supporting Ashley's family as his wife was dying. Then she died. Rhett decided he was finished with the marriage because Scarlett would go running to Ashley, now that he was free from marriage. Which she did. Only after Ashley said that he loved his wife and didn't really love Scarlett did she go running after Rhett. Lost cause. Silly girl. You can't shove people aside for years and years and then expect them to turn around when you come running.
Scarlett O'Hara lived, what I consider, a terrible life. She married three men that she didn't love. She was a Black Widow and everyone around her ended up dead. Her parents, the first and second husbands, her daughter, Ashley's wife. She destroyed many people's happiness: Ashley's torment as he wavered in his love between Scarlett and his wife, the girl that loved the first husband, her sister that loved the second husband, Rhett's happiness, her daughter, and many more.
If I had know how much I would have disliked the movie. I could have lived my life happily without ever seeing it. Don't worry. I will never willingly see that movie again.
